Marvel Ficlets
by RandomPerson861
Summary: A collection of Marvel prompts I've filled. See Table of Contents for chapter summaries.
1. Table of Contents

**Table of Contents**

 **Chapter 1: _Posted_**

Summer Camp AU: Steve, Bucky, Tony & Rhodey

+Pairings: Tony/Bucky

 **Chapter 2: _Posted_** ** _*Cleaned up spelling errors*_**

MCU!Pepper as Rescue

+Pairings: Pepper/Tony

 **Chapter 3:** ** _Posted_**

MCU/616 Avengers Team star in _Nightmares_ Part 1

+Pairings: Not specified

 **Chapter 4:** ** _Posted (Incomplete)_**

 _Nightmares_ Part 2

+Pairings: Not specified

 **Chapter 5:** ** _Posted *Cleaned up spelling errors*_**

MCU!Sam's House

+Pairings: Pepper/Tony, Thor/Jane

 **Chapter 6: _TBA_**

Clint's Hearing aid

+Pairings: Not specified

 **Chapter 7: _TBA_**

Natasha & Tony get Kidnapped

+Pairings: Not Specified

 **Chapter 8: _TBA_**

AU with Pepper as a Spy

+Pairings: Pepper/Tony

 **Chapter 9: _TBA_**

Natasha rescuing the guys like they're damsels in distress

+Pairings: Could be read as Natasha/anyone or as just friends

 **Chapter 10: _TBA_**

There's nothing planned because I've run out of prompts.

Updates whenever.


	2. BuckyTony

Standard Disclaimer. I make no claims to anything.

Prompt: Imagine a summer camp au where Steve wakes up one night to find his best friend in some kid named Tony's bunk pinning him down and making out. Steve's mad at Bucky for hiding it from him but Tony misunderstands and thinks Steve's gonna tell the camp adviser on them so he tries to avoid Bucky for the next week out of fear - Anonymous

 _Tony_

Tony feels kind of like a moron, slinking around. Something he really isn't all that familiar with. But he refused to do anything else. He has been avoiding Bucky like the plague. So much so even Rhodey had called him out on it that morning while they were grouping up for the camp hike. Tony had loitered around until he saw which hike Bucky was taking, then promptly took the other one.

"Dude." Rhodey hisses as Tony drags him into the 10 mile hike group. "This isn't going to fix anything."

Tony, in typical Stark fashion, ignores his friend in favor of hiding himself in the crowd. He can feel Bucky's eyes on him. Yet he was immensely grateful he stuck to Steve's side, and hadn't come after him. Steve who had yelled at Bucky last night in hushed tones and who would be going to the camp aids any second now. Or at least should be.

Tony could only imagine his father's face as he learned his only son was screwing around during summer camp with another guy. It was okay with girls, but guys were another matter. Howard would never understand. He never did.

Tony peaks around Rhodey, much to his friend's exasperation. Bucky is fussing over Steve's backpack. Steve is obviously annoyed about something because he keeps waving his skinny arms in the air. Tony growls low in his throat at the sight. Steve didn't know just how jealous their friendship made him.

"Oh yes, this is healthy Tones." Rhodey sighes.

* * *

 _Steve_

Bucky is pouting. Steve recognizes the look a mile away, even if he couldn't see it. The blond huffed as they hiked. Unfortunately for him, Bucky heard. The taller teen's head whips around and brown eyes searches for signals that something was wrong.

"I'm fine Buck." Steve pants slightly. And he was. This was the easy trail. Not the ten mile hike most everyone else went on. Including the teen Bucky had been...

Steve turns his brain away from the mental image as Bucky passes him a water bottle.

"Drink." Bucky insists. He even waves his hand over his head and one of the camp aids pulled off to the side to wait for them.

"I'm fine." Steve repeated, taking sips of water.

The silence coming from Bucky is weird. The two had never needed words between them for it to be comfortable, but Steve also knew he was responsible for whatever had happened between Bucky and Tony.

Steve passes the water back and the two continue on.

* * *

 _Rhodey_

Rhodey is going to strangle Tony. It had been two days since whatever had happened happened. The antsy genius teen routine was old. It had been old since the first hour had passed. Now? Now it was worse.

"Tones, why don't you just talk to him?" Rhodey is honestly at a loss. From what he understood, Tony liked Bucky, a lot. And Bucky obviously returned the feelings. Yet, Tony is avoiding the guy. Tony is doing such a good job at it, it left him alone to get jumped by Bucky. Tony, the coward had abandoned him to Bucky. That had been- interesting. And Unnerving. Very unnerving.

"No." Tony says distractedly as he fiddles with old wires, trying still to get one of the cafeteria lights to work.

"Why not?"

There is silence as Tony ignores him.

"Look. Tony. If you wont do it for yourself, do it for me." That got Tony's attention.

"You?" Tony's eyebrows were raised so high they disappear into his bangs.

"Me. Did you know I had Bucky nearly assault me on my way back from the bathroom. You know, when you ran away?"

Tony sniggers and Rhodey punches him in the shoulder. Tony leans back and the blow barely connects.

"It wasn't cool man. Bro's intense." Rhodey muttered. Bucky had pulled him into a cluster of trees and had almost physically pinned him to one of the sturdier ones. Not that he needed to, his glare was good enough to keep Rhodey in place. The guy had issues. Issues Rhodey wasn't going to touch with a ten foot pole. Then Bucky had proceeded to grill him about Tony.

"Look, whatever's going on between you two." Rhodey pulls Tony's hands away from the wires as he goes back to ignoring him. "Whatever it is, Bucky likes you, isn't that enough?"

Tony sighes. "I can't Rhodey. It's just," Tony trails off.

"Just..."

"It's complicated."

Rhodey groans. "Oh facebook, why did you have to take my friend away from me?" He throws his hands in the air. "Woe is..."

He cuts off as the cafeteria doors swing open. His eyes widen.

"Whoops. Gotta go." Rhodey says as he scrambles to his feet, making a b-line for the door.

Tony protests loudly. "Where are you...?" Then stops, freezing in place like a deer in headlights.

* * *

 _Bucky_

Bucky is nearly crawling out of his skin. The little twerp has been avoiding him ever since that night. He can still feel Tony's breath on his neck. His lithe body pinned under his. Tony's muffled cry against his mouth as he came. Then of course Steve had happened.

Steve who had been horrified to find Bucky in the act with another camper. Of course Steve had been upset. Not about the two of them, but for Bucky hiding it from him. When Bucky had turned back to Tony, the guy was gone. Steve of course had been very apologetic about the whole thing.

Bucky had to give the guy props though. Tony is good at slipping away from him. Very good. Though that didn't make it any better. Steve had even kept apologizing. Once Steve had even tried to talk to Tony about it, and Bucky hadn't seen Tony since. It was frustrating and depressing all at the same time.

But now Bucky has Tony cornered. He had overheard one of the camp advisers talking about Tony. Apparently his habit of getting into trouble was getting noticed and he had been sent to try to get the cafeteria lighting working again. Something to keep him out of the way and occupied. Also, somewhere where he could find him easily.

Bucky watches as Rhodey hurries past, and out of the building, leaving Tony staring at him. Bucky watches his face go from horror-struck to carefully blank.

"What?" Bucky can't help but snap. "You really hate me that much?"

Tony's mouth pops open, like he cannot believe what he's hearing.

"I, what?" He squeaks like somehow he misunderstood.

"You heard me. You've been avoiding me, wont talk to me, heck, you wont even look at me." The words pour out in a rush.

Tony, curse him, just continues to kneel there, hands full of wiring, gaping.

"Well?" Bucky prompts.

Seconds pass and Tony says nothing. Eventually Bucky snorts and turns to leave.

"Wait!" Tony finally says something. "Wait, I don't."

There's another pause. Bucky doesn't turn back around. Can't.

"I don't hate you." Tony's voice is small, hesitant. It makes Bucky turn back around to see his lover hanging his head, black hair hiding his face. But his body language screams his pain. Bucky, closes the distance and pulls his idiot genius into a hug.

"Then why are you avoiding me?" Bucky asks. Tony squirms in his arms, trying to get away. Bucky isn't sure if its from him, the question of both. But he still doesn't let go.

"Tony?" He prods. The younger teen sighs against Bucky, stilling. Though one hand reaches up to mess with his prosthetic arm.

"Steve." The name is muffled against Bucky's camp shirt.

Bucky tenses and lets go of Tony. Mental images of his best friend and Tony fill his brain. Bucky thinks he might be sick.

"No!" Tony reaches back out for Bucky and pulls him back in. Something must have shown on his face because Tony's laughing and rushing to reassure him.

"It's nothing like that. Eww. Gross. Steve is..." Tony shakes his head, still chuckling. "Not my type handsome."

Dully reassured Bucky feels himself relaxing, though the ingrained need to protect Steve rears its' head. "Steve's a good guy."

"And completely straight." Tony points out. "Do you know how often he pulls out those pictures of him and Peggy on that date last month?" Tony rolls his eyes. "Peggy this, Peggy, that. If I ever meet Peggy, I might just hate her on principle. No one is that flawless."

By the end of Tony's rant, Bucky is laughing too. "He does go on and on." He agrees, pulling Tony back in for another hug.

After their laughter subsides Bucky tries his question again. "So why are you avoiding me?"

Bucky tightens his arms once more as Tony begins again to squirm. "Tony." He warns and the teen stills. "What does Steve have to do with it?"

There's a long moment of silence. So long Bucky thinks Tony will pull away and not answer. Bucky's almost convinced maybe he shouldn't ask, when Tony speaks. Finally.

"He said he'd tell the camp adviser about me." Tony scuffed his shoe against the wooden floor.

Bucky's mind reels. Steve said what? And he might have said that aloud because Tony repeats himself.

"When?" Bucky asks after Tony's finished for the second time.

"That..." Tony's face gets red and he begins to squirm again for an entirely different reason. "After we had..."

Bucky blinks. He goes back over the conversation. "Tony." He begins, still racking his brain. "I don't remember Steve saying anything of the sort." Bucky snorts as he remembers Steve being highly upset over Bucky not telling him about the relationship. There might have even been a few words about inappropriate behavior in there too. Bucky had told Steve later to lay off it. After all, it had been Tony who had started it.

"But he...!" Tony tries to insist only to have Bucky cut him off by kissing him.

"Steve didn't, and wouldn't." Bucky says pulling away, satisfied to hear Tony whimper at the loss of contact. Tony has gone from ramrod straight to pliant and wanting within seconds of the kiss. "But if it would make you feel better, I can have him tell you himself. I'm sure he'd love to. I've been giving him a bad time. Now he's really going to feel terrible since he really is the one who ran you off." Bucky can't help but groan at the mental image of Steve's heartbroken face.

Tony shakes his head, reaches up and pulls Bucky's back down until their lips meet.

"Shut up." Tony grouses. Everything else could wait.


	3. PepperTony

_Prompt: imagine mcu!pepper not getting rid of extremis and instead becoming rescue and of course they start making rescue merchandise and of course tony buys the stuffed rescue doll and brings it to bed as a joke one night but the first time pepper goes out of town for the weekend she comes home in the middle of the night a couple days later and finds him asleep with the rescue doll snug in his arms against his chest_

 _\- bootycap_

* * *

Pepper checked the wall clock discretely. The meeting had been delayed when Mr. Fairchild had arrived late. Of course since Mr. Fairchild was CEO of Pendalton, a major competitor to Stark Industries in Green Technology, he could afford to be late. Still, it meant that Pepper and three of Pendalton's shareholders had to cool their heels in a conference room. At least the view of the Thames was gorgeous, even at night time.

"Which is why I think a merger will benefit both Stark Industries and Pandalton." Fairchild concluded his power point. His white hair was carefully swept back, exposing his receding hairline. Still, the older man wore his age well. He was fit, barely any excess on his stomach. According to Pepper's assistant's research Fairchild loved to play Tennis and Polo. He also sponsored three different charities.

Pepper stood up and shook his hand. "Thank you. That was a very well put together presentation."

Fairchild preened under her praise. "My assistants would be proud to hear that."

"Pepper paused at the admission he hadn't complied the power point. Most major CEOs, herself included, like to claim all the credit they could so they had more power to work with. It was something that came with the job.

"Have you had dinner yet?" Fairchild continued. "Not the coffee and snacks we served. A proper meal?"

Pepper shook her head. "I haven't." She had planned to get something on the ride back to the airport. She had more meeting stateside and as much as she'd like to get a hotel in London, her schedule dictated otherwise. Thankfully the SI jet had a bed. Something Tony had required when he had been CEO. She had redone the jets that had stripper poles and bars in them to be more functional. Tony of course had thrown a fit. Not over the poles, or the bar, but over the fact that she had remodeled without having him draw up new plans.

Pepper boarded her private jet just before the new day began. All wheels were up shortly after midnight. One thing about a private landing strip, there were no horrendous wait times. Just a few years ago before she became romantically involved with Tony and CEO, she took a commercial flight. Her jet was a thousand times nicer.

"ETA Seven hours and forty Minutes." The pilot's voice said over the intercom. Pepper checked her watch. That would have them arrive in New York around 8 at night. She'd lose almost a whole day on the plane, thanks to the time zones. But in a way she had gained that when she flew to London. Never the less, the day after tomorrow she had meetings. Pepper rubbed her eyes as her head began to ache.

One of the stewardess passed Pepper an aspirin and informed her the bed was ready. She thanked the woman, took the pill and climbed into the bed. It felt like she had just closed her eyes when alarms went off. Pepper tossed off the blanket and tugged her shirt back down.

"What is...?" Pepper exclaimed as she staggered out of the bed. But her words were cut short as the plane banked steeply. Pepper crashed into the wall hard enough to bruise. Or would have bruised if she didn't have extremis coursing through her system.

She dragged herself out of her room and to the pilot's cabin.

"What's happening?" Pepper demanded.

The pilot barked something into his comms, leaving the co-pilot to handle Pepper.

"Something's hit us. Its taken out one of the engines. Best we can tell, it's headed for the other one. We're trying to buck it off." His words were clipped and as soon as he was done speaking, he turned back to whatever he was doing to save the plane.

Pepper, wisely, left them to it. She carefully picked her way to one of the plane's recesses and pulled open the door. Inside was her Rescue armor. It had no weapons, other than what the repulsors and the arc reactor could do. She had made sure of that when Tony made the suit. Of course that was after she gave up talking him out of making the suit. Tony didn't take the word "No" very well. Plus, by the point he had already made all the base armor pieces. The jerk.

Now, she was thankful for the suit. So thankful she made a promise that if she made it, she'd tell Tony he was right. Without her orders, perhaps the AI sensed what was going on, the suit opened and Pepper stepped inside. For a long second it was dark. Then light. The HUD projected information off to the sides, but she could still see the cabin.

"Miss Potts." The AI F.R.I.D.A.Y. welcomed her.

"Friday." Pepper began, but the AI anticipated her.

"There's one hostile currently on board." FRIDAY, bless the AI, highlighted the interloper on the HUD. "I'm opening a hatch so you can go outside without depressurizing the cabin."

"Thanks." Pepper followed the appointed route to the hatch. Once there she dropped through it into the open air.

"For one frightening moment Pepper fell. There was nothing around her but darkness. Then the responses Tony drilled into her kicked in. The repulsors flared to life and the HUD displayed her altitude as holding steady. FRIDAY, in her ear, was murmuring the jet's position and speed. Pepper nodded.

"Alright. We have a bad guy's butt to kick." Pepper said, trying for the typical pre-fight banter everyone else seemed so good at. Thankfully FRIDAY remained quiet and guided her to her target. Pepper didn't hesitate to tackle the saboteur to get him or her off the plane. The two tumbled off the plane and back into open air. The figure she was hugging wiggled in her grasp. FRIDAY kindly informed her of the stress said wiggling was causing to the Rescue armor.

Apparently her saboteur was also wearing armor. Still, Tony had made her practice with him in his Iron Man armor. She knew what to do. She let go and reversed just a bit to be out of any line of fire. She watched the figure plummet, FRIDAY called out his altitude, until he righted himself. The black armored figure hovered in the air, then turned away from her and took off.

"Do I give chase?" Pepper asked FRIDAY. To her surprised it was Tony who answered.

"Na. I got what I needed. He'll have a greeting party when he lands."

"Tony!" Pepper exclaimed, surprised and happy to heat his voice. "You?"

"Yes, it is I, the great Tony Stark." Tony said laughing.

"No." Pepper groaned. "Are you meeting him?"

"Na." Tony said with a yawn. "I let Coulson know, some SHEILD flunky should be covering it. See, I can delegate." Tony added on as almost an after thought.

"Good." Pepper was relieved. Despite knowing now what the armor could do, Pepper still worried about Tony. She was about to speak again when Tony cut her off.

"Anyways, you need to get back to the Jet. I'm listening to the pilot, and it sounds like they're not going to be able to fly your baby home."

Pepper's heart rate kicked back into over drive. "They're crashing?!"

"No." Both FRIDAY and Tony corrected her. But it was Tony who elaborated. "They need some assistance to keep from from crashing. The Rescue suit can fly the jet to New York if you need to."

"I'm not a pilot Tony." Pepper corrected him as she flew off after the jet.

"No, but your suit is capable of lifting said jet and holding onto it for a sustained flight."

Pepper was silent as FRIDAY showed her a holographic image on her HUD display of the Rescue armor, from under the jet, flying it safely back to NY.

"Oh." Pepper said lamely. Tony crackled in her ear.

"We'll make a superhero out of you yet Pep."

After a long night of a four way conversation with the jet's pilot, Tony, FRIDAY and herself, they had come up with a satisfactory solution. One of the jet's engines was out of order, even Tony agreed there was nothing to be done. So Pepper's Rescue armor because the new engine. Luckily she had FRIDAY and Tony to crunch the numbers to keep the armor at the right speed, angles, and everything needed to fly a jet correctly. Pepper, to be honest, had zoned out a while ago. She was not math genius, nor a pilot. She was more than happy to leave that to the experts. Especially when they had to land. Something she never wanted to do again while on an airplane's wing./

Due to the delay Pepper was late. Thankfully SHEILD was there so she could go right after they landed and didn't have to stick around doing clean up or explaining. While at the meeting Pepper began to respect Tony's method of balancing Iron Man and work when he had been CEO. She was also envying his ability to foist the job off on an unsuspecting Rube. Unfortunately there was no one Pepper trusted with the company. Fortunately she wasn't planning on playing superhero again. Ever. Tony would try to convince her, but she had long since learned how to resist him.

After her meeting was done she staggered into Tony's penthouse well after midnight. FRIDAY turned on the lights, on a dim setting, so she could see enough to navigate. Tony was sprawled out on their bed. FRIDAY had informed her he was sleeping and not in his lab. Pepper had been a good influence on his sleep schedule. What she had not expected to see was Tony hugging a plush toy.

Pepper quietly snuck closer to her sleeping lover. She held her hair back as she leaned over him. The doll looked just like her armor. Tony made a small noise and hugged the toy closer. She gently brushed a finger over his cheek.

Tony turned and blinked up at her. "Pep?"

"Yeah." She whispered back. "Go back to sleep."

"M'kay." Tony murmured and promptly feel back asleep.

Pepper smiled and planted a kiss on his head before joining him. There would be enough time to question, and probably tease him in the morning.


	4. Nightmares (Part 1)

Bad dreams haunting the inhabitants of the Avengers Tower is old news but the strength in which those new ones start to linger ist horrifying. Everyone of the Avengers has been awake for far too many hours and they start to hallucinate. But eventually, they all have to succumb to their need of rest they step into a world where their horrors truly lurk in the shadows. Can they overcome their worst fears? Will bonds be broken or newly created in a stronger, better fashion?

 _He [the sandman] is a wicked man, who comes to children when they won't go to bed, and throws a handful of sand into their eyes, so that they start out bleeding from their heads. He puts their eyes in a bag and carries them to the crescent moon to feed his own children, who sit in the nest up there. They have crooked beaks like owls so that they can pick up the eyes of naughty human children._

\- E.T.A. Hoffmann The Sandman

* * *

The halls of Avenger's mansion was quiet. Too quiet. Usually they were filled with laughter, yelling, and general life. The utter silence was oppressing. Even the current inhabitants felt it. But none of them could or would break it. Clint had noticed it first. He had come home from a mission, sacked out on the sofa only to hear, seconds later someone enter the room. Still running high on post-mission adrenaline, Clint cracked open an eyelid and surveyed the room. Empty. Clint closed his eye again, assuming that whomever it was, saw him sleeping, and retreated.

Clint snuggled down further into the sofa. That was when he heard breathing. His eyes popped open and he grabbed for his bow. Only to find it gone. Clint's heart lept into his throat as he tossed himself off the sofa and into a wall. Back safely secured Clint scoured the room for life. As he crouched there, breathing shallowly, he heard and saw nothing. The expert bowman carefully moved away from the wall and walked around the room. Nothing.

Clint rubbed his eyes. "Way to freak yourself out Barton." He muttered as he spotted his bow behind the sofa. He grabbed his most precious belonging and curled up with it on the sofa. Of course as soon as she closed his eyes once more, he heard it again. Clint moved to draw his bow, only to once more find it gone.

"No!" Clint couldn't help the strangled cry that escaped him. His bow couldn't be gone, it couldn't!

"Clint?" Whatever it was spoke. Clint grabbed the nearest object and threw it at the voice. Just because he didn't have his bow, didn't mean he was defenseless. There was a resounding crash and a swear that caused Clint to jump.

Clint blinked owlishly at Steve who had jumped out of the way of a table lamp. Steve, not some mysterious intruder.

"Sorry." Clint said, actually abashed. He felt ridiculous, tossing a lamp at Cap.

"Bad mission?" Steve asked, still eyeing Clint and the now broken lamp.

"Bad dream." The archer confessed. He shifted on the sofa only to find his bow tangled on his legs. He quickly retrieved it. Thankful in that moment that it had been out of reach, else he might have really shot Captain America.

"Want to talk about it?" Steve asked, like it was no big deal.

"Na. I'm good." Clint muttered as he decided to escape the room. He hurried past Steve and away, somewhere where he could maybe outrun the dream. He had never handled being helpless well.

Steve watched Clint leave and let him. Even on his best of days Clint was something of an enigma. The more they learned about him, the more they realized they still didn't know. Steve sighed and bent down to start cleaning up the broken lamp. If Tony had been there, he would have hassled him about it. _I have maids to do that_. Steve smiled at the thought. Though he quickly sobered as he continue to pick up pieces of lamp. Clint must have been really out of it to chuck a lamp at him.

Steve sighed and looked at the carefully piled pieces. He took a moment to ask JARVIS to send someone by to finish cleaning up the mess. Gathered together no one would accidentally hurt themselves. Since Steve's self imposed job was finished he took up residence on the couch until the mess was disposed of. He didn't want to leave it unattended. The super soldier pulled out his drawing pad and began to sketch.

As he worked he became aware of a new sound. Steve paused and put down his art book. He examined the room only to find nothing. Shrugging Steve went back to his drawing. After a few moments he stopped again. The sound had returned. It almost sounded like the hissing sound Bucky's arm had made. But Bucky was on the lamb, and not in Stark's ugly tower.

Steve made another circuit of the room, still finding nothing. However he remained too antsy to stay in the room. He gathered up his belongings, looked at the broken lamp and hesitated. He glanced down at his art pad, decided it was big enough, swept all the pieces onto it and left the room.

The next person to enter the room was Sam, just a few hours after Steve had left. Sam sank down onto the sofa with a long sigh. He rolled his shoulders and felt the tension drain out of them. He give out another sigh, finally feel better.

"JARVIS dim lights." Sam barely makes any noise when he speaks, still the lights turn down. He gives another contented sigh and his breathing evens out as he falls asleep. Like all the others who had ventured into the room, Sam's eyes snap back open. His head whips around, but there's no one.

"JARVIS?" Sam questions as he reaches for a nonexistent gun. His hand closes on empty air and the feeling doesn't help calm his nerves.

"Yes Mr. Wilson?" JARVIS' cool voice echoes in the room.

"Who was just in here?" Sam demanded.

There's a pause then, "There was only just you since you entered the room Mr. Wilson."

"It's Sam." Falcon absently corrected. "No one but me has entered the room?"

"Agent Barton and Captain Rogers were in the room earlier today, but no one else aside from you." JARVIS helpfully supplied.

Sam wasn't a coward. He had seen war and some crazy stuff after meeting Steve. There had been someone in the room. Did they hack JARVIS? Stark would pitch a fit if Sam suggested it. But he couldn't ignore his instincts. They hadn't failed him yet.

"JARVIS?" Sam asked again.

"Yes Mr. Wilson."

Sam sighed. Sometimes JARVIS was just as obstinate as his maker. "Can you connect me to Stark?"

"Let me see if he's available." There was silence as JARVIS communicated with Tony. During which Sam couldn't help but continually scan the room.

"What's up Sam?"

When Stark's voice came out of the speakers, Sam nearly jumped.

"I think there's someone here."

There was silence then, "Well, there's you." Stark pointed out.

Sam sighed. "Someone other than me."

"JARVIS?" Stark inquired for his AI.

"As I told Mr. Wilson, there is no one else in the room aside from himself." The cool British voice was unflappable.

"See. It's all good." Stark said. Sam was sure he was going to cut off communications so he jumped right back in.

"There was someone there. I know there was someone." Sam insisted.

There was another pause from Stark. Then, "You sure?"

"I am."

Another pause. "Alright. Give me a second."

Tony had JARVIS cut off communications. A frown creased the genius' face. With barely a thought JARVIS pulled up the security footage. After a quick scan with every scan Tony had, he determined no one had been in or was in the Avenger's home that wasn't supposed to be there. But Tony still remembered the sound of Sam's voice. Sam was so sure. And Sam was trusted by Steve. And Tony trusted Steve. And just because Sam and Tony weren't friends, it didn't mean Sam was wrong.

Tony, decided left his lab and headed to the living room with a small box of tools. Sam was hovering by the door, tense and alert. Tony poked his head in and looked the room over.

"Looks empty to me." Tony pointed out, as he decided no one was in the room, then he stepped into said room. Sam didn't respond. Which was fine, because Tony probably would have ignored him anyways. He moved over to where he had installed one of JARVIS' sensors. He plucked it out of the wall and began fiddling with it.

"What are you doing?" Sam's voice was surprisingly close. When Tony jumped so did Sam.

"Jesus." Tony gasped after he finished swearing Sam out. "Don't do that."

Sam made a face. "Sorry."

Tony shrugged and turned back to the tangle of wires. "I'm checking for tampering. If someone fooled JARVIS, they would have to do it locally. Otherwise there would be some track of a intrusion in the system."

Sam nodded his head. Made sense. He watched over the room as Tony worked, still feeling like he was being watched. Even after a while, Tony began to tense up.

"Can't you relax. You're making me nervous." Stark finally snapped.

Sam blushed a little, but didn't apologize. "I'll feel better when you're done."

Tony grunted and shook his head. Finally the older man pushed the wires back into the wall. "Hate to break it to you Sam. There's nothing wrong with JARVIS."

Sam watched as Tony looked over the room then shivered. Obviously the news didn't make either of them feel better.

"But you feel it too right?" Sam pressed. Tony turned wide eyes onto Sam.

"Nope. Don't know what you're taking about. Might want to take another class at the VA. Or something." Then Stark hightailed it out of the room without a backward glance. Or even his tools.

Sam, a little stunned, and angry at Tony's words, watched Stark's retreating back. Not even a second later Natasha poked her head in.

"Hey Sam. What did you say to Tony?" She questioned.

"Nothing." Sam groused. "If anyone said anything nasty, it was Stark." He had a lot of nerve implying Sam was hallucinating because of his PTSD.

Natasha shrugged and stepped into the room. "Well, he can be a little abrasive." She allowed. Her eyes never left Sam's face. "Did something happen other than Stark?"

Sam adverted his eyes under her intense stare. When he had first met the woman, he hadn't been all that intimidated by her. The he saw her in action. "I thought there was someone here." Sam suddenly felt like maybe he was crazy. Yet he still felt like he was being watched.

"When?" Natasha suddenly began to make a circuit of the room.

"'Bout twenty minutes ago." Sam allowed. "Both JARVIS and Stark said I was imagining it."

Natasha made a face. "But you believe it."

"I do. And I still think there's someone around." Sam added.

Natasha inclined her red head towards him. "Alright." She didn't question him at all and that made Sam feel less crazy. "I'll start from the bottom, meet in the middle?"

Sam agreed and the two split up. After the duo were finished with their search they rejoined in the living room. Clint was waiting for them just outside.

"Anything?" The archer asked. He was still a little pale from his own experience in the room.

Sam shook his head. Natasha eyed Clint. "You too?"

Clint nodded. "Heard Stark said JARVIS wasn't wrong."

Natasha looked the room back over. She shook her head hard enough for her red hair to move with the motion.

"We'll watch it. If anything happens, we'll know." Natasha said turning back to the two men.

And so it was agreed. Natasha took up first watch. Clint was on second. Sam on third, the end of which would be tomorrow morning.

When Steve emerged for dinner he was surprised to see Natasha outside the living room watching it. He greeted her, but didn't ask, not sure if he wanted to know. However when he reached the kitchen and saw both Clint and Sam together, he did ask. The two slowly explained what had happened and their plan. Steve, while he was listening had been preparing his food. When he was done he sat down and looked between his two friends.

"But Tony said there was no one." Steve wasn't sure if it was a question or statement.

"That's what he said." Sam agreed.

Steve frowned down at his meal. "I though I felt Bucky." He finally confessed.

There was silence as the idea of the Winter Soldier stalking them sank in. Then the three stood at one time and went to find Natasha. After Steve told her who he thought it was Natasha asked JARVIS where Tony was.

"Sir is in his workshop." JARVIS helpfully supplied.

"And he's okay?" Natasha inquired.

"Sir is," There was a small pause. "Sir says he's fine."

The four Avengers shared a look before they hurried down to the workshop.

* * *

A/N:

So this story ran away from me a little. I've kind of been trying to keep them self contained (and around 1,000-1,500 words) Buuuuuuut. That didn't really work. I'm already waaaay past that with Part 2. I'm hoping it wont become 3 parts. (Haha) Because we're not even half way through, probably about 1/3. And since I've given myself a week deadline, you get a Part 1, instead of the whole story. I'm about 20% done with part 2 at the moment since I don't have these stories written before hand. ;)


	5. Nightmares (Part 2)

"Sir." JARVIS tired to get his maker to talk to him once more. Apart from Tony snapping at him when he informed him that the others were inquiring of his condition. A condition that was most assuredly not _fine_. JARVIS never liked to see Tony suffering from flashbacks or panic attacks. And judging by the data, he was somewhere in between the two.

"The Captain and the others are trying to gain entrance to the lab." JARVIS continued when Tony didn't respond. Instead Tony hunched over further under his work table. JARVIS knew the others could see him. All of their heart rates had fallen, but Tony's condition was still alarming. And yet there was not much the AI could do after Tony ordered him to lock down the shop.

When JARVIS noticed that the good Captain was going to try and break the glass, JARVIS intervened. "Captain, I do not believe that would be a good idea."

Steve looked up at one of JARVIS' many cameras. "You said he wasn't going to let us in, and he needs help."

JARVIS couldn't argue with that logic. So he'd fight logic with logic. "Sir wouldn't benefit if he thinks you're there to hurt him."

Steve stepped away from the glass and looked over to Natasha. She gave a small nod of her head and disappeared back up the stairs. Clint was hot on her heals. They didn't even need a reminder to stick together. Steve and Sam picked spots where they could watch all points of egress. After what felt like an eternity, but was probably under four minutes Natasha and Clint appeared in Tony's lab.

Clint knelt down in front of the genius' huddled form. He reached out only to freeze as Tony flinched.

"JARVIS?" Clint asked softly.

"Sir doesn't wish for me to inform you." JARVIS almost sounds regretful.

Natasha knelt down next to Clint. They made eye contact then nodded. Natasha shifted over as Clint moved out of the way. Her voice is soft as she tried coaxing him out of his flashback. Clint tried to give them as much space as he can, but still keeps an eye on them as he searched the workshop. He doesn't find any sign of the Winter Soldier. But in the darker corners he could swear he heard something whisper to him. It's vague and a little disconcerting, especially because the voices aren't saying anything he can understand. But he knows enough to make a guess that the voices are from the Middle East. And knowing what he knows of Tony, it makes it a mind game. A very nasty mind game.

"JARVIS." Clint asked as soon as he finished his circuit. "Is there any audio equipment in this room playing?"

"Apart from myself, no." JARVIS helpfully supplied.

Clint looked to Natasha and made a face. Widow turned back to Tony, whispering. After a few more long minutes she gets him to tell JARVIS to open the lab. Steve and Sam step into the room, but don't crowd Tony. It takes almost a half hour to convince Stark to come with them back upstairs and out of the lab. It's only after they mention the Winter Soldier and the possibility that someone's trying to mess with his head, that he agreed. No one mentioned the fact that he clung to Natasha like a life line.

They reconvene in the Kitchen. It's bright, despite it now being dark outside, and cheery. Though the downside is the sheer openness of the room. Anyone could be watching them. From a tactical standpoint, the room was a nightmare. Still, they needed the feeling of safety. So they remained in the kitchen. Tony was seated on a stool, head down on the counter. Natasha was hovering nearby. Clint was perched on the counter next to the sink, messing with his bow. Sam was gathering some food to munch on while Steve dumped his shield on the table.

"...not his usual tactics." Tony's voice was muffled.

"What?" Steve asked confused.

Tony lifted his head just a little. "I said," the man huffed. "It's not his usual tactics. The Winter Soldier never plays mind games. This cannot be him." Once he finished speaking he dropped his head back down.

Natasha sighed. "I agree with Tony. If Barnes wanted us dead, he'd kill us. He wouldn't mess around first."

"What if he doesn't want to kill us?" Same asked coming back with enough food to feed everyone. "What would he do then?"

There was silence as everyone thought about it. Natasha was the one who broke the silence.

"I don't think he'd resort to mind games. He was always straight forward in his missions. Even when he was still Barnes. It's such a drastic change from his M.O. I'd bet money it's not James."

Steve snagged a sandwich from Sam. "That might be true, but I swear I felt him."

After that there was more silence.

"Maybe he's working for someone else now?" Clint suggested. He didn't add in that maybe he went back to Hydra.

"Whatever the case, we're not sure. We're only assuming. Which isn't a good thing. We need facts. And the only facts we have is that we all know something's wrong. JARVIS says there isn't." Natasha brought them back to the situation at hand.

"Magic?" Clint tossed out, eliciting a groan from Tony.

"I hate magic." The genius mumbled. Clint was one hundred percent in agreement after Loki.

"Would magic fool JARVIS' sensors?" Steve asked Tony.

Stark sighed and lifted his head. "Maybe, I don't know." He made a face. "Who knows with magic. I know Loki strolled in without any trouble."

Natasha pushed food in Tony's direction and he ate without comment.

"So what are we going to do?" Sam questioned after they finished eating.

"We can't fight it if we don't know who's doing it." Clint pointed out helpfully.

Steve considered. "We know he or she or they are in the tower..."

And so the conversation went back and forth. Ideas were tossed in then tossed right back out. Soon they moved onto collateral damage. How much was it focused on them, and should they try to leave the tower. In the end it was decided they'd retreat to an easily defensible room, in the end they agreed to use Natasha's. Using JARVIS they'd send out Clint and Natasha to find out more. Sam, Steve and Tony would stay put and see if Tony could alter JARVIS' sensors to try and detect whatever it was that was going on.

Natasha's room was sparse. There were a few photos which the assassin placed face down before she allowed anyone else. Otherwise the room was impersonal. Yet not a cold impersonal. It managed to be warm and welcoming. It just didn't tell who lived there. Tony pulled out a StarkPad and set to work on the corner of her bed. Steve and Sam each took up defensive positions.

Clint and Natasha gave them a nod before they headed back out into the tower proper. After a hour passed Steve turned to Sam.

"It wont do us both good to be exhausted. Get some sleep." Steve told him. Sam didn't protest, which told the super soldier just how tired his friend really was. Sam laid down on the bed and within a few seconds his breathing evened out.

"Must have been tired." Tony said slightly surprised. "Of course all you soldier types seem to be able to fall asleep on command."

Steve chuckled. "It's a gift."

The amiable silence was suddenly broken by the echo of automatic weapons fire. Instantly Steve was next to Tony, pulling in down into cover. There was a thunk as Sam rolled off the bed onto the floor. Swearing quickly followed.

"Sam?" Steve hissed, worried.

"I'm good." Sam whispered back. Or shouted over the sound of gun fire. "Just surprised."

Natasha's door opened and Steve raised his shield. He tensed until Hawkeye waved an arrow through the gap then pushed to door open the rest of the way. The assassin duo slipped in and closed the door.

Natasha eyed the men then crouched down next to Steve. "There's men in the hallway. Lots of them. It's like an invading army."

Clint snorted. "Yeah, an army that can't be hurt. They're like ghosts man. This is fucking awesome." The twist of his lips said that it was not awesome. Not at all.

"Ghosts?" Tony pipped up. "Can they hurt us?"

They all flinched as someone, or something pounded on the door. Tony paled as a voice yelled in another language. Within a heartbeat he was pressed back against the wall cover his ears. Steve swore and reached out for him. Natasha grabbed his arm. "We need to worry about that first." She jerked her chin towards the door. "Tony had a point. Clint and I didn't stick around to see if they could physically harm us."

"And I really don't want to find out." Clint added.

They broke off again as the voice started yelling once more. Steve stood up and adjusted his shield. "Well, we can't just sit here." He turned to look at Sam, only to see him staring out the window. He moved over and placed a hand on Sam's shoulder.

The man jumped, grabbed Steve's arm and twisted. Only Steve's quick maneuvering kept his shoulder from dislocating, but not from letting himself end up on the floor. Natasha and Clint were there instantly grabbed Sam before he could do worse.

Sam blinked, coming back to himself and swore. "Oh God. I am so sorry." Sam reached down to help Steve up.

"What happened?" Natasha asked, moving herself to get a better look at the window.

Sam's eyes flickered to the window then back at Steve. "Sorry." Sam repeated. "I thought I..." He trailed off. The sound of gun fire and yelling was making it hard to concentrate.

"Hey." Clint chimed in. "Whatever it was, it probably wasn't real. Or not as real as real." Hawkeye trailed off as Steve stared at him and shrugged. "Only trying to help." He muttered before joining Natasha at the window. Once there he casually leaned against the wall.

"What do you see?" Natasha asked quietly. Behind her she could hear Steve and Sam talking, but tried to give them privacy.

Clint turned his attention out of the window and nearly jumped. His eyes scanned what looked like a battle in another world. It was still dark, shells rocked the sky with periodic flashes of light. They were far enough up that the people on the ground looked like little stick figures. The oddest part of it was the complete and utter lack of sound. Battle was never quiet.

"Some sort of war's going on. And its not really in New York." Clint said rubbing his bow.

"Yes. And?" Natasha pressed.

Clint frowned and racked his brain then shrugged. Natasha pointed into the sky. There was another flash of light and two figures were highlighted. They both wore wings like Falcon does and did back when Sam was a United States Air Force Pararescue. Clint adverted his eyes. Sam hadn't told them what had happened, but the fact he attended meetings every week and Steve allowed that something had happened. He wasn't going to look.

Instead Clint walked back over to Sam and squeezed his shoulder. He then continued onto Tony.

Steve looked over his teammates and friends. "Whoever is doing this isn't going to stop." He said in his Captain America voice. "And since we don't know how to stop him, I suggest we go."

"Where?" Natasha stepped away from the window finally. "They will probably follow us where ever we go."

"Doesn't mean we have to be sitting targets." Steve said undeterred. "If you and Clint can't find anyone, I'm not inclined to stay. It's the definition of an indefensible position."

Natasha looked over at Clint and he nodded. "Then we move." She went over to help him with Tony.

Steve braced himself as he looked at the door. Then he lifted his shield and moved towards it.

"Uh, Cap?" Clint said as he noticed what Steve was doing.

* * *

 _Open the door to nothing. They decide to leave the tower. See Natasha's dream on the way out, a hallway lined with mirrors and girls dancing ballet. They head to Steve's apartment in Brooklyn._

 _Bruce returns to the tower in the morning. He notices that something is terribly wrong, there's no one there. He gets JARVIS to call them, they come back and explain. After listening to their scattered explanation..._

* * *

Bruce's eyes narrowed as he looked at his pale teammates. Then the pieces clicked into place. He dropped his coat on the floor and stalked up to the living room. Except for the missing lamp, everything looked normal. But as soon as he neared it, he could feel the Hulk stir. He gritted his teeth and began to systematically search the room. When he was done he had a small white bag in his hand. He casually tossed it into the fireplace.

"JARVIS." Bruce croaked out, feeling a little _green_. "Fire, please."

JARVIS complied and within seconds the small bag was nothing but ash. Bruce rolled his shoulders feeling tension slowly drain out of them. Even the Hulk was backing down. He turned back to his friends. They were all watching him strangely.

"Voodoo." Bruce said as if it explained everything. He then looked at Tony. "You might want to double check all your employees." Because Bruce seriously doubted that someone had gotten past JARVIS. Which only left the cleaning people.

Tony nodded and disappeared.

"So it's over?" Natasha, bless her soul, asked.

"Should be. In this room. We should do a though check of the tower before we call it good. But yes, it should be." Bruce corrected.

The relief was almost palatable. It was a testament to how freaked out they all were that they worked in silence to collect another five white bags that were unceremoniously tossed into the fire. And if afterwards they all needed a little extra physical contact, the reassurance everything was okay, no one mentioned it.

* * *

A/N:

So, I am really unhappy with how this turned out. In fact, I can't even convey the depth of loathing for this work. I loved the first half, but not this half. And I cannot even bring myself to finish it. I've been struggling with it all week. So you get this incomplete work. I'm probably not going to come back and finish it either. Because of this, I'm not going to be posting anything next week, to give myself time to relax and de-stress.


	6. Sam's House

_Someone needs to write a fic of a battalion of superheroes randomly showing up at Sam's doorstep because they have nowhere else to go._

 _And Sam cursing Steve and Natasha in the depths of his soul because they started the trend and then told all their friends about it._  
 _\- terapsina_

 **Tony**

"Hey Sam." Tony said looking abashed. "So," He threw on an award winning smile. "Pepper threw me out of the house."

Sam blinked at the man. "Don't you have anywhere else to go?" Because the two weren't friends. Sure he went to a few parties Stark threw, but that was it.

Tony smiled even wider. "Rhodey's on vacation in Mexico."

Sam and Tony ended up staring at each other as Sam proceed Tony's words. Sam opened his mouth to point out that he had just mentioned two people. But surely he had more friends than that? Then he closed his mouth as he stared at the billionaire. Maybe there were only two people in the world who could put up with Tony Stark.

"What about a hotel?" Wilson asked. "You have the money for it."

Stark's smile didn't even waver. "Of course I do. But a hotel is a hotel."

Sam shifted as there was more awkward silence. Stark wasn't on his friend list, but hell. Sam sighed and stepped away from the door. "Come on."

Tony beamed as he practically skipped through the door. "Thanks man. I wont forget this." And maybe, just maybe, that was what Sam was afraid of.

* * *

 **Thor**

Steve has spoken much of you, Son of Will." Thor proclaimed as Sam opened the door. Before the retired soldier could do anything the Norse God swept him into a bone crushing hug. "Do you wish to do battle against my adopted brother?"

If it wasn't for the fact that all the air had been crushed from his lungs, Sam would have squeaked. He hadn't fought Loki, but like everyone else had had watched the news. Loki wasn't someone Sam wanted to mess with. Ever. And if Loki was back on Earth? Sam was terrified.

Sam's feet finally touched the ground again as Thor let him go. "Loki?" He heard himself squeak out. He took a deep breath of air and repeated in a more normal tone of voice.

"Verily. We have a bet of epic proportions." Thor nodded solemnly.

Sam blinked at Thor. "A bet."

"Yea." Thor agreed.

"For?" Sam lead on once it became apparent Thor wasn't going to tell.

"Didn't the good Captain tell you?" Thor asked bemused.

Sam just shook his head, bewildered by the idea that Thor had gone to Steve about this, then came to him. Sam was going to kill Steve.

"My brother bet I couldn't beat him in a challenge of riddles. So I challenged my brother to a round in the Man of Iron's training room." Thor smiled at Sam as if that had made sense.

"Uh." Sam began. "What did Steve say?"

"Our Mighty Captain said someone had to be the judge."

Sam winced. He was totally going to kill Steve.

* * *

 **Clint**

Sam opened the door, intending to berate whoever it was holding down his door bell. The words died in his throat when he saw Clint.

"So," Clint began after he forced himself past Sam and into his house. "Show an archer these wings I've heard so much about." Clint waggled his eyebrows at Sam.

Sam snorted at Clint's forced innuendo. "Only if you don't do that again." Sam said chuckling.

"Deal." Clint chimed happily, grabbing at photos on the coffee table as he sprawled on the sofa.

Sam leapt and grabbed for the frame. "Clint." He was already exasperated with the archer's antics. And Clint knew it.

"Come on wings." Clint let go of the photo to flap his arms.

Sam sighed. "Just don't touch anything while I'm gone." He pointed his finger in Clint's face.

"Scout's honor." Hawkeye raised his right hand in the Boy Scout pledge. Sam eyed him and started walking away when he heard Clint mutter.

"Of course, never was a Scout."

* * *

 **Bruce**

Sam actually heard the Hulk coming. Apparently there had been some sort of altercation at the Avenger's Tower and Bruce had left. Well, apparently Bruce wasn't Bruce anymore. Sam hurried to the door as the Hulk raised an arm in an attempt to keep his house intact. It was a great show of bravery when Sam opened the door and looked the Hulk in the eye.

"Something I can do for you?" Sam was proud his voice didn't shake.

"HULK HUNGRY." Hulk roared loud enough Sam wanted to cover his ears.

"Alright big guy, just don't shout, and I'll get you something to eat."

Hulk frowned and looked at the door. "Puny door too small." Hulk pointed out like it was Sam's fault he couldn't fit.

Sam racked his brain for a way to keep Hulk from tearing down his house.

"We'll have a picnic outside then." Sam blurted out looking up at the Hulk. The Big Guy looked at Sam then shrugged.

"I want watermelon." Hulk said finally.


End file.
